Final communiqué of the nine Ngok Dinka chiefdoms conference

FINAL COMMUNIQUE OF THE NINE NGOK DINKA CHIEFDOMS’ CONFERENCE UNDER THE THEME “TOGETHER FOR ABYEI” BETWEEN THE PERIOD 8TH – 11TH MARCH, 2013 ABYEI TOWN – ABYEI AREA PREAMBLE; • Thankful and appreciative of the sound leadership of our President Gen. Salva Kiir, his cabinet, Abyei Area Administration (AAA) and moreover GoSS negotiating team for the unwavering support and determination to finding peacefully negotiated solutions for Abyei issue. • Cognizant of the drastic consequences of continued and prolonged instability and destruction of lives and properties that has been inflicted by successive Khartoum regimes and its allied militias upon our innocent community before and after the independence of the Republic of South Sudan, and the prompted massive displacements of the civilians to different parts of South Sudan and the suffering they have undergone. • Profoundly concerned of delayed and ceaseless reneging of the Sudan Government to implement the Abyei Protocol, June 2011 Addis Agreements on Abyei area, African Union High Implementation Panel on Sudan and South Sudan (AU-HIP) Proposal on the final status of Abyei Area and the subsequent agreements. • Believing in our internationally and constitutionally recognized rights for self- determination as stipulated in Abyei Protocol and confirmed by the AU-HIP Proposal for the Ngok Dinka and the dire need for prompt actions to facilitate the processes leading to the referendum. • Being aware of the need for the unity of purpose and vision for the Ngok Dinka leadership and peoples; and the expectations of the peoples of South Sudan that we should demonstrate symbol of unity and patriotism to protect our area as defined by July 2009 Hague Ruling. • Believing in our peaceful coexistence internally as Ngok Dinka community and externally with the neighbouring communities based on mutual understanding and respect of each other rights for dignified life, identity of esteem and acknowledgement of historical and ancestral ownership of lands by the nine Ngok Dinka chiefdoms as cemented by Abyei protocol and the Hague 2009 Ruling • Conscious of huge potential for post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation of Abyei area and the dire need for development of our natural resources e.g. agriculture, forestry and livestock owned by Dinka Ngok community and the aspirations for attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the unrestricted access to the rights of our people to their equal share in the distribution oil revenues excavated from Abyei area wells. • Acknowledging that the solution of Abyei must come from its peoples through dignified return, resettlement and rehabilitation; reintegration and reconstruction. • Appreciative of the tremendous role of UNISFA – Ethiopian troops in stabilizing the security situation and paving the path to the beginning of normalcy in Abyei area in addition to their supports to the returnees and IDPs. • Grateful to AECOM Organization, USAID in South Sudan, and Abyei Community Organization in Juba, Abyei Civil Society Organizations and Kush Inc; ACAD and NDO for their unlimited and remarkable financial and human resources support for organizing and facilitating this humble Conference of the Nine Ngok Dinka Chiefdoms. • Believing in The Almighty God , we join our hands in prayers and plead to Him to illuminate the path for our desired destiny and to rest in peace the souls of our martyrs and ancestors who shed their blood in order to bring peace, stability and freedom to our nation South Sudan and Abyei area in particular; • Therefore, we the delegates that are representing the Nine Ngok chiefdoms (Abior, Achaak, Achueng, Alei, Anyiel, Bongo, Diil, Manyuar and Mareng), the Civil Society Organizations after having four days discussions in Abyei town from 8th – 11th March, 2013, in presence of our sons and daughters in national and state governments and many other senior government officials, have agreed to commit ourselves to; 1. Urge and appeal to the Government of South Sudan, African Union (AU), UN Security Council and the entire international community to genuinely and solemnly commit themselves to following up the proper implementation of UN-SC resolution NO 2046 on Abyei area, Abyei Protocol and the AU-HIP’s Proposal on resolution of the Final Status of Abyei through free and fair internationally monitored referendum for the Ngok Dinka Chiefdoms 2. Call upon all the Ngok Dinka people to unconditionally and voluntarily return to Abyei, through massive mobilization and organization efforts, before June 2013 to register and exercise their rights of self-determination in Abyei Area in the upcoming referendum. 3. We call for Ngok – Ngok Dinka dialogue and reaffirm our commitment to peaceful co-existence with all our neighbouring communities. 4. Demand collective and coordinated Governmental and Humanitarian efforts to provide Basic Services to the returnees including shelter, food, education, health and sanitation services, while on the other hand urge for the repair of the roads for easy access and security. 5. Encourage the Abyei Area Administration (AAA) to ensure its Physical and functional presence in Abyei town and to adopt and apply zero tolerance policy for corruption, nepotism and clanism; and ensure transparency, accountability and prevalence of rule of law. 6. Urgently request AAA to facilitate the establishment of Judiciary System in Abyei area and deployment of qualified public prosecution attorneys to observe and ensure the implantation of the rule of law. 7. Establishment of radio stations to ensure wider access to accurate information. 8. Urge the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) to negotiate and expedite the process of establishment of law enforcement agencies, and strengthen the existing community policing in all Payams; and avail enabling environment for suspects and inmates to ensure human rights based approaches. 9. Support establishment of community cultural centres for youth and women to facilitate the psychosocial counselling and alleviation of the negative impacts of the displacement for the affected IDPs and returnees. 10. Promote and enhance income generating activities, cooperatives for the affected returnees’ households in order to accelerate recovery and economic growth to foster and restore livelihoods. 11. Seriously address and avail employment opportunities for the unemployed qualified youth and women in order to encourage voluntary returns. 12. Strengthen the existing Civil Service Departments in Abyei area to shoulder and spearhead the delivery of immediate needs and support to the returnees pending the establishment of permanent Administration in Abyei 13. Call up on AAA to facilitate establishment of a credible banking systems to enhance and leverage local trade, economic growth and investment. 14. Call up on the entire Ngok Community to help restore and promote best practices of their dignified social and cultural values, whilst advising the traditional leaders’ authority to reconsider the rising marriage prices and dowries. 15. To develop short-term educational plans to respond to the immediate needs of the incoming returnees and embark on developing comprehensive educational plans at all levels. 16. Profoundly urge UNIFSA to step up its protection capacity to protect civilians’ properties and livestock in order to mitigate any insecurity emerging from the livestock raiding. Signed on behalf of Nine Ngok Dinka Chiefdoms in Abyei by the following representatives: FINAL COMMUNIQUE OF THE NINE NGOK DINKA CHIEFDOMS’ CONFERENCE UNDER THE THEME “TOGETHER FOR ABYEI” BETWEEN THE PERIOD 8TH – 11TH MARCH, 2013 ABYEI TOWN – ABYEI AREA

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